Controlling device for aeroplanes



C. RUFAIREY- CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23| I919.

' Patented Nov. 16,1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET lm ZQ MMM Patented Nov. 16,- 1920.

I SHEETS-SHEET Z- 0. R'. FAIREY.

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR AEROPLANES. APPLICATION FILED APR.23. 19:9.

C. R. FAIREY.

conmoume DEVICE FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23. 19l9.

1,359,345, Patented Nov; 16, 1920.

5 $HEETS-SHEET 3.

C. R. FAIREY.

CONTROLLING DEVIQE FOR'AEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED APR.23| I919- C. R. FAIREY.

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR AEROPLANES.

APPLICATION FILED APR-23, 1919..

1,359,345. Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

CHARLES RICHARD FAIREY, 0 F HAYES, ENGLAND.

CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR AEBOPLANES.

Application filed April 23, 1919. Serial No. 292,165.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES RICHARD FAIREY, a subject of the King ofGreat Britain. and formerly resident of Clayton Road, Hayes, in thecounty of Middlesex,

.but now of Cranford Lane, Hayes, in the county of Middlesex, England,have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in or Relating to-Controlling Devices for Aeroplanes, of'which the following is aspecification. I v

This invention relates to aeroplanes and one object of the invention isto provide improved means whereby the camber of both wings can be variedsimultaneously in the same direction, in such manner that the fore andaft sections of said wings can be changed at will so that the liftingpower and eiiiciency of the machine as a, whole can be varied withconsequent-modification of its speed capacity, without interfering withthe capability of varying the cambers of the respective wingssimultaneously in reverse directions, at-will, to control lateral.

stabilization as usual.

For this purpose the whole of the trailing marginal portion of eachplane of the wings may be hinged after the manner of an aileron or madeflexible, with the result, in the latter case, that the different wingsections obtained are more uniform. The angle through which the wing isvaried need not be uniform throughout the whole lengthof the wing. p I

Each of such trailing marginal portions when hinged forms preferablyabout onefourth to one-third of the total chord of the plane, so thatany change in the inclination (relatively to the rest of the wing) ofsuch.

marginal portions or parts thereof will produce an effect equivalent toan alteration in both the camber and the angle of incidence either ofthe plane as a whole, or of the. re-

spective wings. The variation of the camber may be controlled by controlcables which extend from opposite sidesof a r0- tatable drum, aroundguide pulleys in such manner that an increase or a decrease in thedistance separating the center of the drum from the center of the guidepulleys, or in the distance separating the centers of cer-- tain of theguide pulleys, will result in both control cables being drawn upon orrelaxed, while rotation of the drum will cause the one control cable tobe drawn upon and the other to be relaxed, or vice versa. The presentin- I vention enables such means to be employed in combination with whatis known as balance wlre mechanism serving to complete the mechanlcalclrcuit between the trailing marginal portions of the respective wingsin such manner that when the trailing marginal portlon of either Wing ispulled down Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N 16 1920 I by itscontrol cable, the trailing marginal 1 portion of the other wing ispulled up by the balance wire; for which purpose, according to theinvention, not only the control cables but also the balance wiresappertaining to the trailing marginal portions of the respeclive wingsare led around guide pulleys which are movable so asto relax or drawupon the balance wires according as the control cables are drawn upon orrelaxed, the balance wires performing their usual function when thecambers of the respective wings are varied simultaneously in' reversedirections. t a

-F or convenience of description the term control cables is employed todesignate the wires which operate to increase the camber of the wingsacting against the air pressure and the term balance wires? is em-vployed to designate the wires which operate in opposition to the controlcables to afford positive control and which areipulled to decrease thecamber of the wings. The combination of wires thus acting in oppositionto each other 'to positively control the camber of the wings,constitutes what, for convenience of description, may be termed a closedmechanical circuit.

i In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, in the accompanyingdrawings the control cables leading from the trailing marginal portionsof the respective wings to the control lever, pillar, or the like,serving to effector permit the variation of the cambers of therespective wings simultaneously in reverse directions, are respectivelypassed around a pair of pulleys or other guides, the distance betweenwhich is adapted to be varied by screw action, whereby the effectivelengths of both cables will be simultaneously increased or diminishedwith the result that the cambers of the respective 'wings will be variedsimultaneously in the the usual manner, are led around a pair ofstationary guide pulleys-and thence around 7 g 1 taneously in the samedirection, and the de-.

' remote from the tips being variable simul 1 April 23, 1919; while theportion of each wing of the lower plane is,

a pair of movable'guide pulleys rotatably mounted'on a pair of nutsadapted to be moved transversely of the machine toward .and away fromone another by a right and i left handed screw in threaded engagementwith said nuts. The right and left handed screw is adapted to be rotatedby a hand wheel situated in convenient proximity to the pilots seat andrevoluble in a vertical plane in the 'fore-and-aft direction.

the respective controlcables are led in oppositev directions around amanually-rotatable drum revoluble upon the control pillar in atransverse vertical plane.-

'By revolving the drum on the control pillar, the cambers of therespective wings are simultaneously varied in reverse directions tocontrol lateral stabilization in the usual manner." When, however, theright and left handed screw is revolved, the nuts thereon will be'causedto approach or recede from' one another and the distance separating thecenters ofthe movable guide pulleys will be decreased or increased, sothat both cables will be equally drawn upon or'equally'relaxed, with theresult that the cambers of the respective wings will be variedsimulsired wing. section obtained.

The nature and object of the invention will more fully appear in thefollowing specification read in connection with the accompanying drawingforming part hereof.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings,

which illustrate it diagrammatically as applied to a sea-biplane whereinthe wings of the upper plane are extended laterally beyond those of thelower plane, and wherein the trailing marginal portion of each wing ofthe upper plane is divided into two parts (outer and inner) theinclinations of thoseparts which are ad'aoent to the, tips of therespectivewings-o said plane being variable simultaneously either inthe-same direction or in reverse directions, at will, and-theinclinations of those parts which are taneously in the same directionand concurrently with. the similar variation in the inclination of those,parts which are adjacent" to the tips, asset forth in the specificationaccompanying our application for U. S. Letters Patent Serial -No.292,167, filed trailing marginal After passing around said movable guidepulleys of the flap C or 'ing marginalportion E or marginal poractuatingthe same, such that the simul-.

taneous variation in the cambers of the respective wings, whether inreverse directions or in the same direction,is effected by positiveaction transmitted through a closed mechanical circuit in accordancewith the improved construction set forth in the Specificationaccompanyin our application for U. S. Letters Patent erial No. 292,168,filed April 23, 1919. Y

In the drawings,- all of which are diagrammatic, Figure 1 is a frontelevatiomof a part of the machine and'Fig. 1 is an elevation of the restof the machine, Fig. 2 is a part plan view of a part of the machine andFig. 2 is a similar viewof the rest of the machine, and Fig. 3 .is apart side elevation of the machine. Fig. 4 is a vertical fore-and-aft.section through both planes 'of one wing of the machine, and Fig. -5 isa similar section through one of the wing extensions oft-he upper planeand its aileron.

Fig. 6 is a more elementary diagram showing, in front elevation, a.dissected view of the various controls, which, in! all those viewswherein they appear, .are respectively distinguished by full lines,plain dotted lines, sin le-dot and dash lines, and doubledot and dashlines. Figs. 7 and 8 are elementary plan views showing, respectively,

the upper and lower planes of the machine with the flaps and ailerons,

In the example illustrated, each wing A and A? of the upper plane ofthemachine has the entire length of its trailing marginal portion.hinged at ato the rigid main portion I of the wing, and each such hingedportion is divided, at a point 6. near the center ofits length, into twoparts whereof that part B or B, which is toward'the outer end of thewing constitutes an aileron (properly so called) for use in controllingthe lateral stability of the machine as well as in varying the camber ofthe wing .asa whole, whereas that part C or C which is toward the centerof the machine con'stituteswhat Wlll,

. for the sake of distinction,.be hereinafter termed a flapj employedsolely (in con- "junction with the corresponding aileron) in .varyingthe camber of the wing as a whole.

The lower plane D- of the machine has no ailerons properly'so called;that is to say each wing D and D of this lower plane extends,transversely of the machine, only a short distance be and the outerextremity g of the upper plane, and

of its trailhinged at d to therigid main portion ,ofthe wing, each suchflap being employed solely (in conjunction with the flap and aileron ofthe corresponding upper wing) in varying the camber of the wing as awhole.

has practically theentire length pulleys 16* to each one of a pair oflevers A horizontal transverse screw-shaft F, mounted to rotate inbearings beneath the pilots seat G and having right-hand andleft-handthreads upon the starboard and port halves of its length, is geared bymeans of a sprocket-chain H passing around a pulley h 'on the shaft anda wheel j turning as one with a hand wheel J which is mounted to rotatein a vertical longitudinal Elane in convenient proximity to the seatnuts K K being fitted to work upon the starboard and port halves of thescrewone of a'pair of levers c fixed to the lower starboard fiap E nearits hinge (Z and extending downward therefrom; and from another lug onthe same nut K a cable 14 (which is divided into two branches at a point15 in its length) is led first ,in the port direction, and thereafteraround a series of stationary guide-pulleys 16to each one of a pair ofleversc fixed to the upper starboard flap 0 near its hinge a andextending upward'therefrom; while a pair of cables or struts cc, 0econnect the flaps C and E together near their rear or trailing edges soas to'complete the mechanical circuit be-- tweenthem and insure both 'ofsaid flaps being actuated positively whether the movement imparted tothem by rotation of the hand wheel J be downward or upward.

Similarly, from a lug on the port nut K a cable 11* (which is dividedinto two branches-at a point 12*. in its length) is led first in theport direction, and thereafter around a series of stationaryguide-pulleys 13* to each one of a pair of levers e fixed to the lowerport flap E near its hinge dand extending downward therefrom; and

from another lug on the same nut K a cable 14* I (which is divided intotwo branches at a point 15* in its length) is led first in the starboarddirection, and thereafter arounda series of stationary guide- 0 fixed tothe upper port flap 0 near its hinge a and extending upward therefrom;while a pair of cables or struts 06*, ce* connect the flaps C and Etogether near their rear or trailing edges so as to complete themechanical circuit between.

causethe nuts K K to approach one another, the cables 11 and 11* willboth be drawn upon with the result that the-flaps C, E and C E will allbe depressertsimul'tan'eously; the cables 14 and 14* being 'at the sametime both relaxed so as to perm'it this downward movement of the flaps.If, on the other-hand, the hand wheel. J be turned so as to cause thenuts K K? to recede from one another, the cables 14 and 14* will both bedrawn upon with the result that the flaps C E and C E will all be raisedsimultaneously; the cables 11 and 11* being at the same time bothrelaxed so as to permit. this upward movement of the flaps.

For the purpose of controlling the ailerons B B a drum L is mounted torevolve in a vertical transverse plane at the upper end of the usualcontrol-pillar M, this drum turning as one with a hand wheelN;-while ona stud projecting vertically from the starboard nut K a pair ofguideepulleys 10 are mounted to turn independently, one above the other,and on a stud projecting vertically from the port nut K a similar pairof guide-pulleys k k are mounted to turn independently, one above the'other..' Over the drum L, two cables (which actually or virtually areportions-0f a single cable) L L? are'wound from opposite directions; thecable L which is led from the starboardside of the drum downward andaround .a stationaryguide-pulley 17 (Figs. 2 and 3) nearthe foot of thecontrol-pillar M and thence rearward, being divided at a point 18intotwo branches Z and Z while the cable L which is led from the portside of the drum downward and around a similar stationary guide-pulley17*, is divided at a point 18* into two branches Z and Z On the one handthe branch Z! (which is subdivided at a point '19 in its length) ispassedaround the lower pulley lc on the starboard nut K and thereafteris led in a general starboardwise directio and' around a series ofstationary guide-pu leys 20 to each one of a pair of levers 72 fixed tothe starboard aileron B near its 'hlngea and extending downwardtherefrom; whereas the branch P* (which is subdivided at a point 21* inits len th) is passed around the upper pulley 7: .on the starboard nut Koppositely to the direction of the branch Z around the pulley 7c, andthereafter is led in a general port-wise direction and around a seriesof stationary guide-pulleys 22* to'each one of a pair of levers -bfixed'to the port aileron 'B near its hinge a and extending upwardtherefrom. On the other hand the branch Z (which is subdivided at apoint 19* in its length) is passed around the lower pulley k on the portnut K and thereafter is led in a general" port-wise direction and arounda series, of stationary guide-pulleys 20* to tending downward therefrom,each one of a pair of levers b fixed to the port aileron B near itshinge a and ex- ;'whereas the branch 1 (which is vsubdivided at a point'21 in itslength) is passed around the upper pulley 70 on the port nut Koppositely to the direction of the branch Z around the pulley 70 andthereafter is led in a general starboard-wise direction and around aseries of stationary guide-pulleys 22 to each one of a pair of levers 6fixed to the starboard aileron B near its hinge w and extending upwardtherefrom. I

It will thus be seen that the mechanical circuit is complete, betweenthe starboard and port ailerons B and B as. regards simultaneousmovement of the respective ailerons in reverse directions; the one sideof the circuit, comprising the branch cable Z cable L ,'cable L andbranch cable Z constituting the'control cable for depressing either ofthe ailerons B or B alternatively, while the otheriside of the circuit,comprising the branch cable Z cable L cable L and branch Z, constitutesthe balance wire for raising either of the ailerons B or Balternatively; and it will be observed that both the cables L and L?(which, as already the starboard aileron B cable L stated, are actuallyor virtually portions of a single cable wound upon thedrum L) formportions not only of the control cable but also of the balance wire asjust defined.

That is to say, if, on the one hand, the hand wheel N be turned so as,by rotating. the drum- L in the same direction, to draw upon the cable Land relax the cable L the resulting pull on the cable L will betransmitted through its branch Z so as to depress and also through thebranch 1 so as to raise the port aileron B the concurrent relaxation ofthe cable L with its branches Z and Z permitting respectively thedepression of the aileron. B and the raising of the aileron B whereas,on the other hand, if the-hand wheel N be turned so as, by rotating ,thedrum L in the opposite direction, to draw upon the cable L and relaxthe'cable L the pull on the branch Z so as to depress the port aileron Band also through the branch 1 so as to raise the starboard aileron B,the concurrent relaxation of the cable L with its branches Z and Zpermitting respectively the de ression of the aileron B and the raisingo the aileron B It will also be seen that the eflicien'cy of themechanical circuit is maintained, as between the starboard and portailerons B and B during simultaneous movement of the respective aileronsin the same direction concurrently with the corres ondin movement of'theflaps 0 E an G For, although actuation of the ailerons B B by means ofthe hand wheel N and drum L as just described will not aflect aredepressed or raised.

. positive control.

a to take will be transmitted through its any of the flaps C E and C Efor the reason that r0- tation of the hand wheel N does not causevariation in the distance between the nuts K K nevertheless rotation ofthe screwshaft F by means of the hand wheel J will not only actuate theflaps C E and C E as previously described, but will also cause bothailerons B and B to be depressed or raised simultaneously according asthe flaps The reason for this is that-if, on the one hand, the handwheel J be turned so as, by rotating the screwshaft F, to cause the nutsK K to approach one another, and, by thus drawing upon the cables 11 and11*, to depress all the flaps simultaneously, the result will be thatthe concurrent approach to one another of the pulleys W, and 70 70 willhave for. effect not only to draw upon the cables Z and Z so as todepress both the ailerons B and. B but also to relax the cables 1 as topermit such depression to take place. The'pulleys k and 10 may bedescribed as a pair, one of which engages the control cable Z and theother of whichengages the corresponding balance wire 1 and the movementof the two pulleys of thepair may be described as complementary, oneservingwhen moved totighten or relax the control cable and the otherserving to simultaneously and complementarily relax or tightenthebalance wire to substantially the same extent, thus maintaining. thedesired Similarly, the pulleys k and is constitute a second pair. If, onthe and Z so other hand,the hand wheel J be turned in the (ippositedirection so as to cause the nuts K to recede fromone another, and, bythus drawing upon the cables 14 and 14*, to

raise all the flaps simultaneously, the result- -will be that theconcurrent recession from one anotherof the pulleys k, 70 and 70 10 willhave foreflect not only to draw upon the cables Z and Z so as to raiseboth the ailerons B and B but also to relax the cables Z end I so as topermit such raising ace;

It wi lbe obvious that in all cases the arrangement should be such thatthe extent'to which an control cable is drawn upon or relaxed s ould beasnearly as possible exactly equal to the extent to which the coactingbut opposed cable (which completes, or assists in completing, themechanical circuitbetween the parts controlled by said cables) tions ofboth wings may have been moved means of the movable guide pulleys k W,

and 70 both cables Z Z and Z W are strained to the same extent, so thatunequal lateral strains on the control pillar M are avoided.

I claim a 1. In an aeroplane, the combination with a wing structurecomprising a pair of ailerons, of a cable, one end of which-is connectedto one of said ailerons, a second cable, one end of whichis connectedtothe otherof said ailerons, a control member with whicbqthe other endsof said two cables are connected in such manner that one of said cablesmay thereby be pulledand. the other simultaneously relaxed. and twobodily movable guides both positioned at one side of said controlmember" and each movablyengaging one of the cables at'a pointintermediate its ends, and means to move said guides simultaneously soassimultaneously to pull or to relax said cables, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

2. In an aeroplane, the combination with a winged structure comprisingapairof ailerons, of a cable, one end of which is connected to one ofsaid ailerons, a second cable, one end of which is connected to theother of said ailerons, a control member with which the other ends ofsaid two cables-are connected in such manner that-one of said cables maythereby be pulled and the other simultaneously relaxed, and two -movableguides each engaging one of the cables at a point intermediate its ends,and .means to move said guides simultaneously towa'rd'and away from eachother so as simultaneously to pull or to relax saidcables,--substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. A structure as specified in claim. 2, in which the means for movingthe. guides comprise a rotatable screw having right and left handthreaded portions, a pair of nuts in threaded engagement with said rightand left hand threadedportions respectively, and connections betweensaid nuts and said guides respectively.

- 4. In an aeroplane, the combination with a wing structure comprising apair of ailerons, of a cable,'one end' of which is connected .to one ofsaid ailerons, a second cable, one end I of which is connected to theother of said ailerons, a control member with which the other ends ofsaid two cables are connected in such manner that one of said cables maybe pulled and the other simultaneously relaxed; flexible connectionsbetween each of said cables'and that side'of the'aileron which isopposite to that to which the other cable is connected, two movableguides, each engaging one of the cables, and two movable guides, eachengaging one of said flexible connections, together-with means to move'75 said guides simultaneously so as simultane-- ously to pull or relaxsaid cables and flexible connections, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

5. A structure as specified inqclaim 4, in

which the means for moving the guides comprise a rotatabte screw-havingright and left hand threaded portions-a1, pair of nuts thereon. and aconnection between each of said nuts and the guide connected with oneotsaid cables and the guide connected with the flexible connectionattached to such cable, substantially as and for the purpose ing cambervarying ailerons, of a cable, one

end of which is connected to one of said ailerons, a second cable, oneend of which is connected to the other of said ailerons, a controlmember with which the other ends of said two cables are connected insuch manner '.that one of said cables may be pulled and simultaneouslythe other cable may be relaxed to increase the camber of the outerpart'of one wing and decrease the camber. of the outer part of the otherwing and two movable guides, each engaging one of the cables, and meansto move said guides simultaneously so as simultaneously to pull or relaxsaid cables to increase ordecrease the camber of the outer parts of bothwings, and

' by such movement of the guides.

7 A structure asspecified in claim 6 in which the means for movingguides are ar- 'ranged to move said guides toward and away from eachother.

8.. A structure as' specified in claim 7 inwhich the means for movingthe guides comprises a rotatable screw haVi-ngright or left handthreaded portions, a .pair of.nuts in threaded engagement with saidright and left hand portions, respectively, and connections between saidnuts and said guides respectively. I

9. A structure as specified in claim 6 in combination with balance wiresconnected to said ailerons and flaps, and acting in opposition to thecables and connected to the cables, control member and guides in suchmanner that each balance wire is pulled or related when thecorresponding cable acting in oppositionthereto is relaxed or pulled andto an equal extent.

10. In an airplane, an aerofoil, means for regulating the camber of saidaerofoil, includinga cable, a rod having opposltely threaded portions,

cable carried by said nuts, and a hand wheel connected to said rod forrotating the rod for moving said guide pulleys toward or away from eachother to regulate the operative length of said cable.

nuts mounted upon said threaded portions, guide pulleys for said cludinga cable, a rod having oppositely threaded portions,

nuts mounted upon said threaded portions,

guide pulleys for said cable carried by said nuts, said cable passingabout said guide pulleys each of the guide pulleys tions for connectionwith and leading from in opposite directhe aerofoil for varying thecamber of the aerofoil throughout its span upon rotation of said rod, asecond rod, a drum carried by said second rod, a cable passing aboutsaid drum and connected to the aerofoil for varying the camber of theaerofoil on each side of the longitudinal center of the airplane so asto present to the atmosphere different aerofoil curvatures on each sideof the central axis to maintain lateral stability'of the airplane.

CHARLES RICH? RI) FAIREY.

